ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Golden Apple Foundation has released its list of nominations for 6th-12th grade teachers to be recognized with the prestigious Golden Apple Teacher Awards for 2026.

Parents, students, and community members submitted more than 1,550 nominations for 537 teachers in more than 50 Winnebago and Boone County Schools.

A reception to honor the nominees will be held on Thursday, November 13th, 2025, at Rockford University, 5050 E. State Street.

Nominated teachers will next submit self-reflective essays and letters of recommendation, from which a selection committee will choose 20 teachers to observe in classroom settings and through interviews, to narrow down the five finalists.

Those five will receive the Golden Apple Award at the Excellence in Education Banquet on

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